Last Chance, First Choice
by Novindalf
Summary: Once again Marian finds herself made part of a bargain, only this time there doesn't seem to be any way out. Guy offers a solution, but will Marian take it? Set post-"Treasure of the Nation".
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Robin Hood belongs to the BBC and Tiger Aspect.

**Characters:** Marian, Guy, Sheriff, Earl of Durham, various random guards; Guy/Marian-ish, mentions of Marian/Robin

**Summary:** Once again Marian finds herself made part of a bargain, only this time there doesn't seem to be any way out. Guy offers a solution, but will Marian take it? Set post-Lardner's Ring.

**Notes:** I'm not technically supposed to be online at the moment, but I didn't get the chance to post this before. One of my NY's resolutions was to post some fic every week, so this is my entries for the last two weeks. Unbeta'd and rushed, so expect some mistakes. Currently this is only going to be a three-parter, but there's room for more if people want it.

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><p><strong>Last Chance, First Choice<strong>

**Chapter 1**

She toyed with the ring distractedly, twisting it around her finger and absently noting the way it glinted in the candlelight as she cast her mind back to the events in the tree. Had it only been last week? The time since had passed in a blur, waking up disorientated when a maid came in to stoke the fire of the chilly room, far colder even than the forest had been, and yet again wondering how she had come to be there. She had told Robin she would return to the castle because she could do more good there, but in the past few days she had done little but remain enclosed in her room, musing over just why she had said that. Could it be that she had just been making excuses? That, secretly, she actually preferred the regulated enclosure of the castle to the stifling atmosphere of the camp?

But no, that couldn't be it; she and Robin had managed to reach a compromise lately, where he was unquestionably in charge of the gang, but he would listen to her opinions and consider them as carefully as the other outlaws', rather than wrapping her in silk and feathers all the time. Had she decided to escape from the tree with Robin, the rapport between the two of them and with the rest of the gang would have largely remained unchanged: a comfortable exchange of knowledge and skills that set the whole group at an advantage. Instead she had chosen to return to the castle with Guy.

Though she tried to put the thought out of her mind, she couldn't help but consider that perhaps she _had_ just been making excuses when she had given her reason. Escaping with Robin would been the equivalent to shouting from the turrets that she was throwing in her lot with him, that this whole hostage charade was exactly that, and would shortly give way to suspicions about her relationship with Robin, and possibly even betray her identity as the Nightwatchman. Was she ready to make that massive leap yet? She had thought she was when she fled the castle after her father's death, but that had been born more out of a desire for comfort and time to grieve than anything else – something that Guy had made clear by pressing his advances that she would not find in the castle. The obvious solution in her haze of grief had been to follow Robin to the forest, even though it meant abandoning her father's body and missing his funeral. Having had her doubts about that decision once already meant that she was hesitant over making it again, so she had chosen to carry on with the charade, to continue to hide her involvement with the outlaws, and return to Nottingham playing the part of the scared and innocent victim.

She laid her head back against the pillows and inhaled deeply. A moment later the door to her chambers was flung open, and Guy of Gisborne hurled himself into the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Marian sat up at once, tugging her blankets up over her thin nightgown. Despite her shock she managed to think quickly enough to slide the emerald ring off her finger and stash it under the bedcovers.

"Sir Guy!" she said indignantly. "I must insist that you leave at once!"

He took no heed of her sharp words, instead crossing over to her bed. She tensed, clutching the blankets tight to her chest, although she relaxed a little when she saw that his eyes held neither lust nor malice. Apprehension flooded her, however, when she saw the emotion that did fill them: desperation.

"You have to leave," he implored. "You have to leave right now."

She stared at him, stunned. "What?" she asked incredulously. "Why?"

He straightened up and cast his eye around the room. Seeing a dress laid out on a chest he hurriedly picked it up and held it out to her. "Put this on quickly," he said, but she , still waiting his answer. "The Earl of Durham saw you earlier when he arrived. He's said that since he didn't get the debtor's daughter, he'll have you for his bride instead. Vaisey needs allies among the Black Knights now, he cannot afford to refuse Durham. He's coming to claim you now – I cannot protect you. They weren't even going to tell me about it – I only know because I eavesdropped. They probably thought if I knew the truth my loyalties would be divided."

"And are they?" she hazarded.

He shot her a look as if to say "I'm here now, aren't I?" and pressed the dress into her hands. Memories of the last time Guy had come to her rooms unannounced to warn her of much the same thing filled Marian with fear, and she took the garment from him, suddenly fuelled with the same desperate force. He turned his back as she tugged it on over her nightclothes, and then fastened a thick, warm cloak around her shoulders.

"You'll have to leave through the kitchens. All the other ways out are in lock-down."

She nodded sombrely and then froze. One glance at his own wide eyes told her that he had heard the same thing she had: the unmistakable sound of armoured footsteps entering the far end of the passage outside. They were much slower and quieter than normal, but that did little to reassure Marian; clearly the guards did not want to be a sound of warning to her.

Marian's heart skipped a beat and panic started to rise in her. There was no other way out but via that passage, and leaving now would not only mean she would be seen and pursued – and most probably caught – but would implicate Guy as well.

He equally understood the situation and turned this way and that as he searched the room for another means of escape. Between the two of them they had only one weapon, not nearly enough to fight their way out. The narrow window of Marian's tower-chambers would offer nothing but a fatal drop to the group, and there was nowhere for one person to successfully hide, let alone two.

She balanced on the balls of her feet, struggling to subdue her panic and erratic breathing as she fought against her instinct to flee. Her eyes were wide with fright as she fixed them on Guy, his frantic pacing and muttering doing nothing to allay her fears.

"... there's nothing we can do... Unless..." He trailed off, casting the thought out of mind.

"What is it?" she demanded, with far more strength than she felt. "Tell me."

Guy locked eyes with her for a few precious moments. "Durham would not have you," he began slowly, carefully, "if he thought you were not..." His eyes flitted to the bed, and then back to meet gaze. At the meaning of his words sank in, she blanched at the implications. "I'm not saying we have to..." he hurried to pacify her. "Just to make it look like we have."

Marian turned away from him, running the suggestion through her mind. She had little time to consider it, however, as a door slamming in the distant passage brought her back to the immediacy of the situation, and she turned back to Guy fearfully and nodded once. "Yes," she whispered. "Do it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Take this off," Guy said, indicating Marian's hastily-donned gown. Gently but firmly he led her over to the bed, and threw back the bedcovers. As she stripped back down to her nightclothes he removed his jacket, shirt, breeches and boots and unbuckled his sword belt. He drew a small dagger from the latter and unsheathed it, motioning for her to climb into the bed. He pressed the point of the dagger to the pad of one finger and made a small cut, and then let a few scarlet droplets of blood fall onto the mattress.

She felt herself colouring at the action. She ducked her head to hide it as he crumpled the covers so they hinted at previous activity. She felt the dip in the mattress as he slid in beside her, and lay back as he pulled the ruffled blankets over the two of them. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her tense against him, every nerve in her body aflame. "I'm so sorry," he murmured and pressed a soft kiss to her hair.

When the door to her chamber was thrown open once again and ricocheted off the wall she did not have to feign her jump of shock, but Guy drew her close to him as they turned to face the intruders, identical expressions of fear and guilt and surprise plastered on their faces.

Vaisey stood at the head of the party, with a vaguely familiar face beside him – presumably the Earl of Durham. Behind the pair gathered a large party of castle guards, all sporting the same utterly bewildered expressions as their masters.

The sheriff was the first to recover, his shock as he took in the situation quickly fading to fury. "Gisborne!" he shouted, causing both Guy and Marian to jump at the sharp tone. "What is the meaning of this!"

Guy opened his mouth to reply, but Durham got there first. "Well well, Vaisey, when you told me about my new bride you forgot to mention _this_." He didn't take his eyes off Marian as he spoke, his lecherous smirk and roving gaze causing Marian to shrink into the bed further. Guy noticed Durham's stare and he held Marian tighter. She could feel his heart beating against her chest, hammering as hard as she was sure hers was. To stop herself from pulling away from him out of habit, she blurted out a confused "New bride? I-I don't understand."

The gleam that came into the sheriff's eyes was positively malicious. "Oh, didn't I mention to you? Durham wants a new bride, and the debtor's daughter we had held up for him seems to have been mislaid. So you're going to marry him instead."

Guy forced out an emphatic and furious "She is _not_" just as the sheriff added "That's if my lord Durham will accept... damaged goods..."

Marian felt her face flush even harder as everyone in the room – and beyond the doorway – stared at her. She lowered her eyes and prayed that Guy's assessment had been true.

"No, no, that won't do at all," the earl said, but something about the tone of his voice told her he wasn't finished just yet. Her suspicions were proven when he continued, "I won't have her as my wife now that she's whored herself out."

Guy tensed indignantly at the insult to Marian. Under the cover of the sheets, she laid a hand on his arm to calm him; neither of them would help the situation if they let their tempers get the better of them.

"My lord Durham-" The sheriff tried to placate him, but the earl cut him off.

"But if you've no objection, Sheriff, I'll still take her off your hands..."

Marian filled with dread as his implication sank in. The earl would not marry her, but he would have her anyway, as his mistress perhaps – if she was lucky.

"No!" Guy's shout startled her, and even the sheriff jumped at the rage in his voice. "You will not have her!"

"Gisborne!" retorted the Sheriff. "Remember your place! This is the Earl of Durham, and he will have your filthy leper if I have to drag the whore to him myself!"

"She is not a whore!" roared Guy, his temper overwhelming her. He flung back the bed-sheets and stormed across the chamber furiously. "Or a leper! She is my betrothed!"

It was lucky that all eyes were now on Guy, because Marian flinched at the lie; even she was stunned by this new 'revelation'. How dare he presume such a thing?

"Betrothed?" Durham turned to the sheriff. "You never mentioned anything about this."

"I didn't know," the sheriff replied. "She's turned him down enough times, the capricious little harlot." Guy gritted his teeth but – mercifully – held his tongue. "How was I to know she'd changed her mind again? It's not as though Gisborne's got her wearing a ring or anything."

Even in her anger at Guy's presumptuousness, Marian could sense an opening when she saw it. She thrust a hand under her pillow, grasping the emerald ring tightly and pushing it onto her finger. "Yes, I do," she objected sharply, getting out of the bed and crossing over to practically wave it in the sheriff (and the earl's) faces.

The sheriff glanced at it for a moment, and then turned his gaze back to the earl. He shrugged. "Well I can't be expected to notice every leper's new trinket. My lord," he added, for good measure.

A silence fell upon the gathering for several long moments as they waited for the earl's reply. Marian could feel more than a few eyes boring into her thin nightgown so she stepped closer to Guy, ducking behind him and hiding her body from the stares.

"I think..." began the earl icily, his eyes narrowing at Guy and Marian, and then flickering to the sheriff, "that you and I need to have a little talk."

Guy took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Marian will have no part in any bargain," he said firmly, ignoring the sheriff's glares.

There was another long pause before the earl responded. "No..." he said slowly, causing both Guy and Marian to visibly relax in relief. "_But_," he continued turning once more to Vaisey, "I will expect suitable... compensation. One hundred pounds, and you'd better find me some other blue-blooded wench to marry or the deal's off!"

"One hundred pou-?" the sheriff spluttered. He turned furiously to Guy, but something in his lieutenant's expression made him swallow his objection and return, red-faced, to the earl. "I'm sure that can be arranged," he forced out. "My lord."

"I'm glad to hear it," the earl replied icily and, without waiting for a further response, swept past the guards and out into the corridor.

The sheriff whirled around to Guy and Marian. "You will regret this day, Gisborne!" he threatened. "And all for a _woman_! Trust me, _boy_, you'll regret it."

Guy scarcely paused for a second. "I think not," he replied coolly.

The sheriff's eyes widened at Guy's defiance, and his jaw snapped shut furiously. He turned on his heel and made as if to stalk off, but at the doorway he paused and turned around. "And you're paying that hundred pounds!" he yelled finally, and then disappeared after the earl, the guards hurrying behind him.

Marian let out a shuddering breath of relief, and heard Guy do the same. He turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. Forgetting she was angry at him, she sank into his embrace gratefully, overwhelmed by the past turmoil. He rubbed her back soothingly and she laid her head against his chest, forgetting that the last time she had done so he had tried to take advantage of her. Thankfully, anything of the sort was far from his mind, and he was as relieved as she that the earl had conceded; he just held her tightly, as if to prove to himself that she was still there.

It could not last though, and Marian soon felt Guy pulling away from the embrace. She dropped her arms quickly, remembering that she was supposed to be furious with him. Before she could say anything though, he began to speak. "Marian," he said, quietly but earnestly. "I am so sorry that I told them we were betrothed. I was worried the earl would demand to have you anyway, and the sheriff wouldn't have refused. I couldn't bear to lose you, Marian. I said the only thing I could think of that might work." Well, not the _only_ thing, but he needn't tell her that the thought crossed his mind to blurt out they were already married... Sensing her disquiet, he fell silent, desperately awaiting her reply.

She considered his words carefully. It had been a shock, of course, when he said that they were betrothed, but looking back the earl _had_ been about to take her, regardless of her apparent lack of virtue, and Guy's statement _had_ succeeded in saving her from that fate. She nodded slowly. "I understand," she murmured. "And I don't blame you. I'm glad you said it." As soon as she had said the last sentence, she realised how it could be taken. She glanced at Guy's face anxiously and saw the sudden flash of hope in his eyes, but he said nothing to press her on it. Instead he looked at the ring now adoring her left hand.

"Marian, that ring..." he trailed off, his question evident.

"It belonged to my mother," she replied quickly. "I found it in the ruins when I visited Knighton Hall last week." He flinched ever so slightly at her words. His destruction of her home, though not as sharp a sword between them as it once had been, was still a sore topic.

"I see," he said, but made no move to elaborate. She fiddled with the emerald ring, and started to slide it off her finger.

"No," he said, holding out a hand to stop her. "Leave it on. If the sheriff or Durham sees you without it they might suspect something. I will get you another ring, but for now keep your mother's on." He squeezed her hand gently. "I must go and speak to the sheriff now," he said grimly. "I will be back later." And with that he went, leaving Marian to her own – incredibly confused – thoughts.

She looked at the ring on her hand; the ring that the sheriff and the Earl of Durham now believed was her betrothal ring from Guy, and the ring that Guy now believed had been her mother's. The ring Robin had given her to mark their betrothal.

_Robin_.

Oh God, _Robin_...

She took in a deep breath to compose herself and try to gather her thoughts. The problem was, she had only one right now, and as her eyes flitted between the ring, the creased bed-sheets and the bloodstain peeking out from beneath them, and the door through which Guy had just left, it blared out at her like someone bellowing in her ear.

_What had she gotten herself into?_

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><p><strong>Apologies for the delay in getting this chapter to you! Hopefully it makes up for the appallingly long wait =P I'm leaving this fic here for now, but there is room for expansion, should I come back to it at a later date. Many thanks to weaselle, LadyKate63 and Schryosel on RHFC for the proverbial kick up the arse I needed to get this finished, and please, if you can spare the time, let me know what you thought! =)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The news spread across the castle so quickly it is almost as though its inhabitants were expecting it. Sly glances and bold stares followed her when she ventured from her room, and gossips' glee carried around every turned corner. Even the kitchen girls sniggered behind their hands when they thought she was not looking, and it took more effort than it should to sweep past them with her usual poise.

_I have done nothing of the sort_, she wanted to protest, but that would defeat the purpose of the lie, and no one would believe the truth anyway; they'd all seen the sheets, or else knew someone whose brother's friend's wife had.

It hurt to see how swiftly the hand of friendship could be withdrawn, but she dared not protest; Durham was only a day's ride away, and the sheriff had been unable to find another noble maiden to satisfy its earl. Marian must make do with being branded a fallen woman, and count her blessings that she was not already in that lech's bed.

That still left her with a problem though: Sir Guy of Gisborne. She had managed to avoid him up until now but she could not do so forever, not when he had risked his own neck and saved hers by claiming her as his betrothed. But what now? She could not marry him, that much was certain, but neither could she turn him in and repay his protection with betrayal – not to mention give them both up to the mercy of the sheriff.

She twisted her ring anxiously on her finger. _Robin_. She had not heard from him either, but it was only a matter of time before he heard the news. He would appear suddenly, a wounded expression on his face and feign some innocent reason to drop in on her, before his interest turned to allegation. But what could she have done? She knew Robin would accuse her of making excuses – of making her _choice_ – but he would not listen to her objections that she was _not_. She felt like an indignant wife whose husband was so convinced of her involvement with another man that he'd not even hear of her protests that she'd done nothing wrong. _Guilty until proven innocent_, except there was no proof that would convince him, or even get him to listen if Guy of Gisborne was involved.

Marian threw up her hands in frustration and started pacing the room. It seem that wherever she was, forest or castle, the shadow of accusation lingered over her, and she was sick of it. Sick of the maids' gossip in the corridors, sick of the guards dogging her every steps, sick of Robin's damned pig-headedness whenever Guy came into the picture, but most of all sick of Guy himself and his stupid, _stupid_, one act of chivalry that had gotten her into this mess. And he hadn't even had the guts to face her after his lie had done the job! No doubt he was worried about the reception awaiting him now her supposed dirty little secret was a fountain tale and tavern jape.

_Coward_.

Angrily she flung herself back into the chair she had just vacated and hung her head in her hands. Just _what_ was she going to do now?

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><p><strong>I said that I may come back and add to this fic at a later date, and while yes, this is another chapter, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be continuing it. Basically, so long as inspiration strikes I'll keep going, so here's to hoping the creative juices keep flowing! =D<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The answer came with a soft knock on the door, so soft and almost timid that it would have given away the culprit even if Marian hadn't known that Robin never bothered with doors when windows would do.

"Come in!" she called, and took a deep breath to steel herself as Guy stepped in.

"Marian," he greeted her cautiously, like a child about to be reprimand by his parents.

"Guy," she replied coolly. "You've been avoiding me."

"I did not think I would be welcome," he admitted.

_You're not_, she wanted to say, but held her tongue.

"I know you're angry about what I did and said," he continued, "but please believe me that I did not mean to presume anything. I've kept away so that you don't get the wrong impression, and because I thought it would do you no favours to be seen with me."

"If you think that, then why are you here now?"

"I'm not blind Marian, or deaf – I know what is being said about you. I wanted to make sure you were alright. Believe the worst in me if you must, but I care- I can understand why you're angry with me."

_You care about me, do you?_ His stumble did not get past her. _You're doing a fine job of showing it, leaving me here to deal with it all by myself_... Then it registered what he had been saying. He'd been staying away to avoid adding further fuel to the fire. And she _would_ have presumed he was only there to press his case, had he shown up earlier.

"But you're here now."

"Yes," he cleared his throat and straightened up slightly. "I thought you might like a change of scenery – to get away from the castle for a while. Tomorrow I ride to Kirklees to see the abbot on business for the sheriff. Would you-"

"Yes." She answered before he'd even finished asking, so desperate was she to get away from the castle. "I would love to come."

Her sudden reply seemed to surprise him, and it took him a second to respond. "Good," he said brusquely, though he couldn't hide his delight completely. "I will have your horse saddled for after breakfast. I will see you then?"

She nearly laughed at how he managed to doubt even after she had so vehemently displayed her desire to come, but held it back and gave him a brief smile. "Goodbye, Guy."

He smiled back, and when the door closed behind him she sank back into her chair gratefully, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders for the first time in ages. Her head felt clearer already, and the tightness in her chest had begun to lessen. Odd as it seemed, she was really looking forward to the outing tomorrow with him.

"Well isn't that cosy?" came a voice from behind her.

Marian shot up and whirled around, as tense as a bowstring once again. Sure enough, crouched on the windowsill, his face betraying his accusation, was Robin.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"If you had wanted an outing in the forest all you had to do was ask," he said casually enough, but his tone gave him away.

"And you'd whisk me out of my tower and we'd ride off into the sunset," Marian retorted.

"It's happened before."

_Yes, when my father died and I was too distraught to know any better._ "Will you shoot an arrow out of the windows again?" she snapped instead. "What do you want?"

Robin cleared his throat awkwardly. "I've been hearing things… In the market."

Marian scoffed. "Of course, in the market," she echoed sarcastically. "Where else would one find useful information? Let me guess, you heard about my bloodied sheets and how I'm going to marry Guy to salvage my reputation, and you thought you'd come save me from the hideous monster? While you're at it, would you mind stopping at a convent for a few months so I can give birth to Guy's illegitimate child in secret?"

"That part's not true then."

"Of course it's not true," she snapped, hurt that he'd thought so little of him.

"But are you marrying Gisborne? Only you looked pretty snug to me…"

"For heaven's sake, Robin!" she cried, sick to the back teeth of his jealousy and accusations. "I don't have to defend myself to you!"

"You're my betrothed – I'm worried about you!"

"You don't have to defend my honour either! I can make my own decisions and I won't have anyone treating me like a child and telling me what I can and cannot do." Robin flinched, but Marian kept going. "For your information, I didn't sleep with Gisborne, and I'm not carrying his child either."

She had to bite back another snappish remark when he visibly relaxed. "Then where have the rumours come from?" he demanded.

"The sheriff found us together and Guy said we were to be married."

"What?!" Robin roared. "How dare he!"

It took a good ten minutes to tell Robin the rest, and by the end of it Marian felt completely drained.

"I'm still gonna kill him," Robin muttered.

Marian rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a fool, Robin. Grow up."

Apparently that was more than enough for Robin to flare up again. "And you!" he turned to her. "How could you let him to this to you?"

"He didn't do anything to me," she protested.

"He made everyone think you had given yourself to him!"

"_We_ made everyone think I had given myself to him!" she corrected furiously. "We had to; there was no other choice-"

"There is ALWAYS another choice!" Robin yelled.

"Then enlighten me!" she yelled back. "What would you have done!?"

"I'd have gotten you out of there!"

"How? Out of the window? We had no rope and no time – would you have had me fling myself off this tower?" Marian knew she was being melodramatic, but that didn't stop her anyway. "Or perhaps you would have preferred I went along with Durham instead."

"Better him that Gisborne," spat Robin.

Marian looked at him icily. "I am going to pretend you did not say that," she said slowly, dangerously, but Robin was too caught up to notice her cold fury.

"Why?! It's true – better him than a murderer and a traitor!"

"Durham's a traitor too," she spat back, "or had you forgotten? Do you think that I should have given myself to him instead of not giving myself to Guy?"

Now it was Robin's turn to scoff. "Don't be ridiculous; my men and I would have saved you before it came to that."

"Like you did with Winchester?"

"You know as well as I that I was right behind you and Gisborne-"

"Or when Guy found out I was the Nightwatchman?" she interrupted. "You wouldn't have even heard about it until far too late, and it's the same again now! You'd still have no idea if it weren't for the rumours in the marketplace and you springing up to save my honour. I can't rely on you to be there when I need you anymore."

Robin looked hurt at that, and Marian did feel sorry for bringing it up, but it was true – had Guy not had a change of heart and let the Nightwatchman 'escape', she would have been hanged long before Robin even heard of her imprisonment. Still, she softened her tone a little.

"And even if you had turned up in time, what then? I turn outlaw for hood, living in the forest with you and being treated like some bird in a silk cage?"

"It wouldn't be like that-"

"It was though," she interrupted sadly. "I thought living in the forest would mean freedom, but I felt more trapped than ever! I'll never be just 'one of the gang' to you, Robin, and it makes us vulnerable – both of us." He looked so forlorn that her heart twinged, but she had to finish her piece. "And for how long?" she asked. "You don't know when the king will return – or even if he will ever return at all. What if he doesn't come back? What if the sheriff and Prince John stay in power? What then? _If_ the king comes back, _if_ we're both still alive to see the day, _then_ we can be together? I can't keep giving my heart up to 'ifs', Robin."

There were tears in her eyes by the end of her heartfelt plea, but she refused to give in to them. She sat quietly, watching Robin for a reaction and trying desperately to decipher his expression.

Eventually he spoke up. "Are you saying you're giving up?" he asked softly. "You're going let people think you're a fallen woman and become the obedient Lady Gisborne?"

Marian exhaled deeply. "I don't know what I'm going to do," she admitted quietly. "But I can't keep doing this, not knowing whether you'll survive the next plot of the sheriff's, or the next ambush of a noble, or even the next night in the forest. I can't keep wondering is this time we say goodbye it'll be our last. These are the lives we have chosen, Robin, always different directions. I'm not saying it's anyone's fault, but England needs you right now, and I can't ask you to give that up for me."

She turned away from Robin so she wouldn't see the pain in his eyes, but she heard it in his voice. "I won't tell you that everything will be alright in the morning," he said softly, "because we're not children and we both know that's not true. But please don't give up hope. I can't promise that the king will return, or that the sheriff will be overthrown, but know this. I will do everything I can, I will give everything I have, for an England where we can be together."

Marian waited until she heard the familiar sound of him climbing out of the window before finally turning around. She crossed the room to watch him leave, struck by an image of him lying inert on the ground, a gaping wound in his chest or an arrow through his heart of a noose around his neck, having given everything he had for that future.

"I know you will," she whispered to the wind, tears finally overwhelming her. "And that's what I'm so scared of."

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><p><strong>I don't know what's been happening to me lately, only that I've been writing like the wind to try and get more of this fic done :P I think it's safe to say that I definitely intend to finish it, although how long it will end up being is as much as mystery to be as it is you. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled that people are enjoying it and giving such lovely comments. Here's a very early and much longer chapter as a thank you!<strong>

**(As a quick note, you probably won't have noticed but I've tweaked the timeline very slightly so this fic now occurs after 2x11, as opposed to after 2x09 - so that I could have Guy already aware of Marian being the Nightwatchman.)**


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